a day in the life of a CS major at Stony Brook University

[@jackswastedlife3306]

honestly thanks bro, this was the only stony brook cs major vid i could find LOL. really helped me out

[@arock.]

Hi! Thanks for watching!!! The video is a bit outdated because i had to transition from online courses to in person. But I’ll be making an update video really soon. It will be even more realistic since my daily life did change quite a lot since the video.

[@krishmakers5531]

hey, video was interesting, can you please make a video on tips for a student like me who got into SBU in engineering(fall 2023).

[@deshungrant31]

Love the video bro! Friends are the most priceless things you will ever hsve hold on to them forever!! Love from Atlanta ga ❤️

[@d_mike8778]

Yes it is really difficult to be cs student 😭trust me bro but when we graduate it feels great 👍 and i enjoy your videos fighting for you and your career 😇

[@arock.]

Thanks for watching!! CS is so hard sometimes but we all secretly enjoy that pain 🥴

[@dannyxie5543]

nice vid eric keep up the good work :)))

[@zachny]

So, Im a senior in high school and I’m looking to apply to stony brook as my #1 school. Assuming I get in, I want to pursue a double major in applied math and computer science. How feasible do you think doing that is? Would it just be ridiculous to have a social life, job, and double major? And, more importantly, would it cost more? I’m trying to basically not be in any debt from college. I have decent stats so I’m hoping for some sort of scholarship money. I really only have to cover for the in state tuition costs, since I’ll be living at home if I attend.

[@arock.]

Hi Zac!!! Thanks for commenting ☺️☺️ . I’m doing a double major in applied math and Computer science. This combo is actually very popular for CS majors and very feasible. I also don’t think it’s ridiculous to have a social life, job and double major. In fact, it’s pretty common to be apart of clubs and organizations while studying CS at stonybrook. And no it doesn’t cost more to double major. Best of luck in admissions!!

[@nrgking1667]

Same im also picking stony as my #1 choice pass your snap

[@SoupisSoupLikesSoup]

Hello! I'm not sure if you would answer me since it's been 2 years but I'm a junior that wants to go to Stony Brook for CS and I just want to ask if I need to know a lot about the subject beforehand and how good do my math grades have to be?

[@arock.]

Hi! No knowledge is required! I came in with zero knowledge (zero knowledge in coding and computers in general)! However, getting into the major is the hard part as you'll need to demonstrate strong math skills. and of course having knowledge in CS is a plus!

[@jasec6032]

I see that crayon shin chan in your room Mr Rock. 👀👀

[@soyuzadhikaree879]

Hey I don't know if you will reply as this video was upload a long time ago. In case you see my comment, why did you Choose CS as you major and why SBU specifically for CS?

[@arock.]

Hi thanks for reaching outtt. I chose CS because I wanted to do something related to mathhh. I chose SBU because it was relatively cheap!

[@chrissykdance]

Hey! I applied as a CS major to SBU. How hard is it to get admitted to the major? Nice video!

[@arock.]

Hi! Thanks for watching! Getting into the major here is fairly competitive and I advise that you get as high of a maths grade as possible and take on CS as like your literal hobby. This would help SBU see that you have a genuine interest in CS. A lot of us are either rejected or put into ‘Area Of Interest’ also known as AOI. students in AOI means they are not in the major yet and have to complete a few basic requirements before applying into the major. People that are in AOI CS and complete the requirements are able to apply to the major once again and are guaranteed a spot. However, for those of us that are unlucky and do not complete requirements will not have a guaranteed chance to get in. I came in as undeclared and then swapped to CS. I advise that no one do this because people outside of the CEAS(the college of engineering and applied science) department will still have to complete the EXACT requirements as AOI students. The downside of this is that even if these ‘outsider’ students complete the requirements, there is no guarantee to get admitted. If an outsider gets reflected they are rejected and cannot apply again. In other words, they cannot major in whatever they just applied to in CEAS. only a small portion of non-CEAS people get into these type of majors. So you made a great choice to apply directly into CS and not a major that is outside of CEAS. Good luck!

[@bubbletea8793]

FIRSTT

[@CoolRanchDgo]

Yoo I was in the same class as you (cse220 mitra?) He left though he was a good prof :(

[@arock.]

Yupppp

[@tiffany9089]

hey! i just got admitted into SBU for CS! are there any essential items that would’ve made your life easier that you wish you knew about?

[@arock.]

Hello! Make sure to bring LOTS OF SNACKS to munch on. Your CS courses will make you hungry at night. i would also recommend bringing a tablet to write your ideas down and for math. I feel like using paper will just waste paper. Make sure to bring extra soap! I go through so much soap 💀💀💀. Other than that there’s not much I wish I knew about.

[@arock.]

Also make sure to make as many friends as possible!! Having friends in CS here WILL 100% help you in the long run.

[@lovestay8870]

I have collage entrance exam in June but i want to apply SBU for next year. I want to apply a good uni for cs in my country first and then while im taking preperation courses (its a common thing in here, taking language lessons for a year) im planning to improve my coding, social and language skills. After all those things i wanna try my chance to apply sbu. Is it possible? Do you think is it wise? I couldnt apply for this semester cuz i dont feel ready yet...

[@arock.]

Hi! it is absolutely possible! I came in without any coding knowledge at all (I came in with no coding/CS experience whatsoever). SBU has a great CS department you'll learn a ton here. However, I feel like as an international student, you may have to study a bit harder and have some sort of math/CS background to boost your chances of getting accepted into SBU; but overall you seem very prepared since you're going to prep and improve your CS knowledge over the next few months. Good luck! You're very prepared for the looks of it! Study smart and with enough dedication hopefully, you'll get into a great university no matter the location :D

[@lovestay8870]

@@arock. thank you so much for your answer! I hope i can achieve my goal and make my dream come true :') i wish you good luck for your life !

[@박영돈-b5t]

Hello, i'm in the bachelor's degree program at korean university. I want to transfer into SBU. If u have some time please answer to my quesiton! I'm looking for some advice!!! + my major is EE and minor is CS I want to go SBU CS major!!! 1. In my case our university( Hankuk University of Foreign Studies) have dual degree program with SBU. Is there any defference with transfer student?? 2. I just read some comment, and I just known about the AOI. so, if someone get into cs than every trasfer student start with AOI CS??? 2.1 IF not, Is it determined by the quota for transfer student? 3.Also I read your comment (And non of the classes cannot be lower than B-) and have some question, If I have lower than B- but retake the class and get higer gpa is that could be a problem?

[@ryanjo10]

Hello. Im a junior in highschool rn and am wondering abt things like gpa, extra curricular, SAT/ACT. Would you mind sharing this so that I can get a better understanding of the requirements. Thank you so much.

[@arock.]

Hi Ryan! I had a solid 3.6 GPA, ~150 hours of volunteer hours, joined a few clubs like ping pong. when I applied! My Sat score was 1360 💀.

[@ryanjo10]

@Arock Wow. First, just wanted to thank you for responding to me. :) As of now, I'm maintaining a 94 gpa (idk what that is in 4.0 scale) and have been in many clubs like mathletes and such. I'm taking ap com sci principles and applied for ap comp sci a for next year when I'm a senior. I was wondering if creating a club around "coding" and "computer science" would help boost my chances. As for testing, I'm probably taking the ACT this April or June depending on my confidence. And one final question, do you recommend anything that might help my chances of getting accepted? (Also, i heard stony had sat/act optional. Did you send in your scores or just hold onto them?) Thank you so much. :)

[@arock.]

@@ryanjo10 Hi! wow your grades are wayyy better than mine! I don't speak for the school, but I would definitely agree that it would boost your chances! When I applied to SBU, SAT/ACT were not optional so I had to send it in! That being said, I do believe sending in your scores to SBU if they're high! Also considering your grades, ap classes, and extracurricular activities, I'd say you have a high chance of getting an acceptance! Also remember that it's not all in the grades and extracurricular activities, so be sure to write a solid college essay for the application! Just know that the CS major is pretty competitive and you might get placed into AOI (Area of Interest) if you get accepted into SBU.

[@ryanjo10]

@@arock. Thank you so much for responding. :) For now, I'll try and get my GPA up and do more extra curricular. Also I just got accepted into national honor society so I hope that can help my chances. Thanks again.

[@gentleman4222]

Bro sorry for asking too many questions . But i wanted to know if is it really hard to get into cs major from aoi . Generally say they are 100 students in aoi how many make it to cs . Also we as asians have better chance than average i guess ? I want to only study cs and not any other major and i pretty average . Can i join thinking that i will make it . Also if we dont make it in a year can we try next year? B- is 7/10 i guess which is 60% to 70%

[@arock.]

Hi! getting into CS from AOI is actually a blessing. It's relatively easy to get into the major from AOI. From what I've heard a lot of AOI students get in and a lot of them make it in. As long as you do well on the course you will get guarantee admission into the CS major. For your last question, Im pretty sure if once 1 year has past you can't apply to CS as AOI meaning you dont have guaranteed admission into the major (even with all your requirements met). I got into the major as a non-AOI, so I wouldn't worry too much. getting into the major should be the least of your worries as of now.

[@gentleman4222]

@@arock. B- is how much percent in marks ?

[@arock.]

@@gentleman4222 I’m not sure but 3.0 gpa and minimum grade is B-

[@arock.]

@@gentleman4222 it depends on the class, since there are curves.

[@gentleman4222]

Hello ! I got admitted into sbu with aoi in cs , asu cs and fews sunys . I heard that the course work is really really tough in sbu and the management is rude . I am applying as transfer and i fear that they would troublr me with documentation transfer credits etc etc . In asu its easier and jobs are easy to find . Can you please suggest me which would be better . I am also thinking of applying to rutgers . I dont know much about it . Is it really competitive . Can you rank these unis . Thanks

[@arock.]

Hi!! I have no right to rank these universities because there will be a ton of bias haha. SBU CS is tough, but I think it should be doable if you really enjoy CS and not in it just for the $$$. I think it's better for you to check the unis website and see which one suits you best. SBU has some really notable professors for algorithms. So If you're into algorithms SBU is the choice.

[@lifewithcoolman6565]

Hello Eric I’ve applied to SBU for spring with 3.4 gpa what’re my chances of getting in the CS major.

[@yaduanand5407]

Hey man I'm a high school senior rn I just got accepted into stony brook for business management but I've seen some videos and i feel like the social/party life is pretty dead there so what would u say about that Great work btw!

[@arock.]

HI Yadu! yeah social/party life can be dead sometimes. HOWEVER, if you surround yourself with great people and clubs, everyday will be a blast! Congrats on getting in!

[@yaduanand5407]

@@arock. haha thanks dude that's great to hear. I have a couple more things to ask is it cool if i could get your snap or something like that?

[@arock.]

@@yaduanand5407 i don't usually use snap but i do have Instagram! @eric.c01

[@Capybara-204]

Yooo I just got accepted to stony brook for business management too. I’m just waiting on a few other schools to decide where I’m going. SBU is out of state for me

[@arock.]

@@Capybara-204 yeooo congrats!!!

[@anishbhattarai7464]

Hey bro,Great vid! I had one question, i got into sbu but they put me into AOI so will i have to do something(take classes) before i join the uni or everything will or is done after i join?

[@arock.]

Hi! Congrats! I actually made a video addressing this situation! Once, you are put into AOI, you are required to take a few intro CS class like very other CS major would. Only difference is that you have to pass with b- minimum and apply to the major again, once you have completed the requirements. For now just sit tight, theres nothing to worry about!

[@naseebafaiza]

Here before 5m likes

[@thegrassguy2871]

Prospective SBU CS major student here, looking for some honest answers. 1. What made you choose SBU over other schools you applied to? 2. What are some things you _don't_ like about SBU? Wish you could change, etc. 3. How's your social life like? Do you have friends and is it easy to make friends? SBU (maybe because it's largely a STEM school, I think) seems to get this reputation of being socially cold/awkward, especially on weekends, to at least some degree; do you agree with this? 3a. What do you do on weekends anyway? 4. Are you in the Scholars program? What about the Honors College? 5. Who are the most/least desirable professors and what are the most/least desirable classes?

[@arock.]

Hi! wow thats a lot of questions haha im happy to answer them! 1. I applied to all SUNYs and CUNYs and a select few privates and IVYs. I chose Stony because it was the only one I know the best and was fairly close to the city. I did get an acceptance to Georgia Tech, but didn't go because it was too far. 2. The things I absolutely hate about SBU is that theres no great food options here. Jasmine, Roth, and the dining halls are great, but sometimes I get bored of the same old food. SBU needs more restaurants/stores ON campus (there are plenty of great restaurants off campus but are I really going to walk/drive there? hell no). I also don't really like the transportation options here at stony. SBU buses are reliable if you're trying to get around campus, BUT if you're someone who doesn't drive and want to go shopping off campus, good luck because you're gonna have to plan 15 eons in advance. The S60 and all bus options to take are always either SUPER DUPER early or SUPER DUPER late. The bus apps for these buses also suck because they're never accurate. Also, if you miss the bus, you're better off taking uber/lyft because the next bus won't come till you're 100 years old. 3. Im actually quite social (to me at least LOL). I attend events and have time to hang out with friends very often. Although campus can be really dead on weekends I think this topic really depends on how social you are as a person. If you're social, you will find friends. Beware of god complex people in CS major though. If you're not quite social, then joining clubs that are related to your field is quite a big step to get social. I suggest WiCS (Women In Computer Science) and SASE (Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers). They're all extremely nice people and host very fun events year round (Like literally not even joking, WiCS has workathons and we get free FOOD. For thanks giving we had a GIANT potluck. You will not starve if you come and hang) 3a. I procrastinate, do HW, or hanging with friends 4. Sadly no :( but I know some people that are! 5. For this I think it depends on the student. For me, I think professor Esmaili (CSE 214) is ok but not great either. Professor Mitra (CSE 220) is ok at teaching but the course is SO SCARY, not his fault because the course load is very tough. I heard that Professor Stark sucks (CSE 320). I have'nt taken CSE 320 yet but my friends are literally stressed because of him. Theres this one professor that many students say sucks, professor Ganapathi. but I think he's actually quite passionate and want his students to think as a computer scientist.

[@thegrassguy2871]

@@arock. Is it worth going to if you're an out of state student? I'm from New Jersey and I also got into Rutgers, so I'm trying to decide.

[@arock.]

@@thegrassguy2871 Im not sure. Both schools are good. I think think it just depends on whether or not you wanna pay extra or you like school better than the other.

[@thegrassguy2871]

@@arock. update: I'm going to Rutgers

[@arock.]

@@thegrassguy2871 Congrats! I hope you enjoy it there! Good luck in college! :)

[@gentleman4222]

Also if we are taking more than 12 credits a semester should we pay for each extra credit which 295 dollars for ny resident and 1041 for international or we can take how many ever credits we want after we pay fee for 12 credits which is the process in other colleges . Just want to conform?

[@arock.]

Hi! you don't get charged for each extra credit! you pay a flat amount per semester and you are free to take as many credits as you want under 21 I believe. I currently take 15 credits and have not paid an extra money! Don't worry! You can contact the financial aid office if you want to learn more.

[@bubbletea8793]

3:20 omg it me

[@arock.]

Hai

[@gentleman4222]

Are there indians in bs cs ? If so , can you provide me with their contact details i have lots of questions

[@arock.]

Hi! there are Indians in BS CS but I don't have their contacts.

[@meriemikhlasgueribis8164]

ahaha Logique combinatoire séquencielle XD

[@thunderhawk4585]

Hello, I came to Stony fall 2022 semester with biochem major. Finished this semester with 3.88. I'm trying to take 114 and 215 next sem and 214 over summer. If I get something around 3.7 next sem, do you think I have a good chance of being accepted?

[@arock.]

Hii. One thing to keep in mind is that there is no guarantee you’ll get accepted even if you fulfill the requirements. But generally having the good grades and a solid personal statement (only if you’re in college of arts and sciences) will make your chances high. Good luck!

[@thunderhawk4585]

@@arock. Thanks. Can you tell me what is required for the application except the required classes?

[@arock.]

No other requirement! just complete the class(pass them all with an average GPA of at least 3.2, I think. And non of the classes cannot be lower than B- ) and apply. And, if you're outside of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, then you have to write an one page personal statement detailing why you want to major in cs, course work, etc(basically another college essay)

[@thunderhawk4585]

@@arock. Many thanks. All the best to you. Hopefully I can get into the major. I started studying some java by myself so that I can try to get a perfect grade for 114.

[@seemaa9536]

Can I talk to you please

[@arock.]

Yeah what’s up! Sorry for late reply 😭😭